Title: Thoughts in Verses
Author: Ololade Nafisat Ejemdibia
Publisher: OAK Initiative
Year of Publication: 2022
Number of Pages: 99
Category: Poetry
It is clear from the beginning of “Thoughts in Verses” that Ololade Nafisat Ejemdibia wrote the book in an effort to impart upon her readers a sampling of the feelings, thoughts, and experiences that have shaped her into the person she is today.
The author’s early declaration that “words have always intrigued her” rings true throughout the book, which is filled with exquisitely crafted sentences that reflect the author’s lifelong fascination with words.
This collection of poetry includes a number of pieces that are both thought-provoking and emotionally affecting.
You can’t help but smile as you read the first poem, “Boy and Man,” which takes the reader on an imagined journey: He’s been a man for a longtime-/ But she knew him as a boy. / She’d watch him chase the cats around the yard, / And run through the aisles of every toy store. / His eyes were eyes of wonder, now they’re eyes of concern. / The boy is gone and this man has taken his place. / She cannot see the boy that used to exist, / But she still loves the man she helped to create.
Her poetry, each of which can be fully understood in its entirety without in any way requiring the use of a dictionary as a resource.
Read also: A Collection that is very Personal and Deep- A Review of Shally Alonge’s Love, Loss and Light
In the poem “The Cracked Egg,” the metaphor of humans being similar to a cracked egg is discussed in greater detail.
Also, a sizeable portion of the book is made up of rhetorical questions; nevertheless, the good news is that the solutions to these questions are occasionally buried inside the poems themselves.
In ‘Shifting World,’ the author offers a number of valuable insights and encourages readers to adopt a proactive attitude as opposed to a passive one: The world is shifting/changes are coming/You can’t keep living/ in the past.
The poems in the book are each accompanied by an image that was found on the internet. Instead of using blurry images downloaded from the internet, it would have been preferable to make use of drawings. Nonetheless, the reader is immediately compelled to get up and take responsibility for their lives after hearing some encouraging words from her.
One can’t help but wonder how long the author has been keeping her talent hidden given that she has fifty poems here.
About the reviewer
Titilade Oyemade is a business executive in a leading organisation and holds a degree in Russian Language. She’s the convener of the Hangoutwithtee Ladies Event and the publisher of Hangoutwithtee magazine. She spends her weekends attending women conferences, events and book readings. She loves to have fun and to help other women have the same in their lives. Email: [email protected] Social: @tiipreeofficial
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